Comedy Festival
2008 Press Release
Mar 01, 2008
February 26, 2008 (Winnipeg) – The pot is huge and Artist Director Al Rae has gone all in this year rounding up the country’s best comedians for our “lucky” 7th annual CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival, hitting the city April 9-13 2008.
The odds are 6:1 this year’s galas will break the bank with laughs. Last year’s Super Galas (where audiences got two full themed gala shows for one great ticket price) were a huge hit, so we’ve brought them back.
Hosting the first act of Thursday’s gala on April 10th is Canada’s sweetheart comedy team Colin Mochrie and Debra McGrath tackling the wedding theme in “Tying the Knot.” Featured talent in this gala includes The Jane Show’s Teresa Pavlinek and others. Act II is the “Raising Cain” gala - all about kids, hosted by Last Comic Standing’s Gerry Dee and featuring SNL’s A. Whitney Brown and more.
Friday night’s gala opens with host and NHL legend Dennis Hull. Known as one of Canada’s most dynamic speakers, Dennis brings more to the table than his amazing 14 season record of 303 regular season goals. Assisting him are several “Good Sports” including Erica Sigurdson. The second half of the evening is hosted by Little Mosque on the Prairie’s Manoj Sood, focusing on the theme of “Travel.” Manoj is joined by 22 Minutes’ Geri Hall and festival fave John Wing.
Saturday’s Gala is no crap shoot either, opening with Roman Danylo of Comedy Inc. This first half features comedic “Animals” Rick Currie and Winnipeg’s own Big Daddy Tazz. Follow that up with the good “Medicine” of the second half, hosted by another festival favourite, Mike Wilmot. Joining his medically minded team are several talented comics including Lou Eisen.
Other highlights include return performances of the hit CBC radio show The Debaters with new host (and 2007 festival performer) Steve Patterson, and our always sold-out French Gala at the CCFM. We return to the Gas Station Theatre and MTC Warehouse for late-night shows including “The Aboriginal Show” and the always popular “Dark and Stormy Show”.
Wrapping up the festival are two new shows at the Gas Station Theatre. “Reasonable Accommodation” - a panel discussion on the hot topic of cultural accommodation. Next up is the “Desi Show” which proves that East Indian and South Asian comedy is the biggest thing since Bollywood. Hosted by Much Music’s Sabina Jalees.
“Across the board this is the strongest lineup yet,” says Al Rae. “Every show has a selection of the best talent working in the biz today. We really did get "lucky" this year and I think the audience are the biggest winners.”
The Lucky 7 CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Five winning nights of laughter. A full house of comedy! Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.ca or 780-3333. Early bird pricing in effect until March 7th.
The CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival (www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com) is produced by the Osborne Village Cultural Centre, home of the Gas Station Theatre.
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For further information, contact
Anne Dawson, Director of Marketing and Communications
(204) 229-2762 or anne@winnipegcomedyfestival.com
The odds are 6:1 this year’s galas will break the bank with laughs. Last year’s Super Galas (where audiences got two full themed gala shows for one great ticket price) were a huge hit, so we’ve brought them back.
Hosting the first act of Thursday’s gala on April 10th is Canada’s sweetheart comedy team Colin Mochrie and Debra McGrath tackling the wedding theme in “Tying the Knot.” Featured talent in this gala includes The Jane Show’s Teresa Pavlinek and others. Act II is the “Raising Cain” gala - all about kids, hosted by Last Comic Standing’s Gerry Dee and featuring SNL’s A. Whitney Brown and more.
Friday night’s gala opens with host and NHL legend Dennis Hull. Known as one of Canada’s most dynamic speakers, Dennis brings more to the table than his amazing 14 season record of 303 regular season goals. Assisting him are several “Good Sports” including Erica Sigurdson. The second half of the evening is hosted by Little Mosque on the Prairie’s Manoj Sood, focusing on the theme of “Travel.” Manoj is joined by 22 Minutes’ Geri Hall and festival fave John Wing.
Saturday’s Gala is no crap shoot either, opening with Roman Danylo of Comedy Inc. This first half features comedic “Animals” Rick Currie and Winnipeg’s own Big Daddy Tazz. Follow that up with the good “Medicine” of the second half, hosted by another festival favourite, Mike Wilmot. Joining his medically minded team are several talented comics including Lou Eisen.
Other highlights include return performances of the hit CBC radio show The Debaters with new host (and 2007 festival performer) Steve Patterson, and our always sold-out French Gala at the CCFM. We return to the Gas Station Theatre and MTC Warehouse for late-night shows including “The Aboriginal Show” and the always popular “Dark and Stormy Show”.
Wrapping up the festival are two new shows at the Gas Station Theatre. “Reasonable Accommodation” - a panel discussion on the hot topic of cultural accommodation. Next up is the “Desi Show” which proves that East Indian and South Asian comedy is the biggest thing since Bollywood. Hosted by Much Music’s Sabina Jalees.
“Across the board this is the strongest lineup yet,” says Al Rae. “Every show has a selection of the best talent working in the biz today. We really did get "lucky" this year and I think the audience are the biggest winners.”
The Lucky 7 CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Five winning nights of laughter. A full house of comedy! Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.ca or 780-3333. Early bird pricing in effect until March 7th.
The CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival (www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com) is produced by the Osborne Village Cultural Centre, home of the Gas Station Theatre.
- 30 -
For further information, contact
Anne Dawson, Director of Marketing and Communications
(204) 229-2762 or anne@winnipegcomedyfestival.com